Capital of Chechnya - definition of Capital of Chechnya by The Free Dictionary Capital of Chechnya - definition of Capital of Chechnya by The Free Dictionary Related to Capital of Chechnya: Chechen Republic , Kicking Horse River Groz·ny or Groz·nyy (grôz′nē) The capital of Chechnya in southwest Russia. In the center of a rich oil-producing area, it was a major objective of German forces during World War II. Much of the city was destroyed in battles (1994-1995 and 1999-2000) between Russian troops and Chechen secessionists. Grozny Chechnya profile - BBC News BBC News Read more about sharing. Close share panel The southern Russian republic of Chechnya has long been a boiling point for conflict with Moscow in the restive North Caucasus. After a decade of unsuccessfully fighting for independence, the autonomous region is now firmly under the control of its Russian-appointed leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, although separatist groups continue low-level guerrilla attacks. In addition, jihadist groups, including those aligned with Islamic State terrorist organization, exist in the region.

Oil-rich Chechnya has enjoyed a period of relative stability under Mr Kadyrov. But critics have accused the pro-Moscow leader and his government of suppressing media and other freedoms, as well as human rights violations including kidnappings and torture. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The capital Grozny was flattened in 1994 by the Russian army in its conflict with Chechnya's separatist movement Status Republic within Russian Federation Population Approximately 1 million Some key dates in Chechnya's history: 1858 - After decades of violent resistance, Chechnya is conquered by Russia. 1994 - Three years after republic declares independence, Russian troops invade to quash independence movement, the start of nearly a decade of conflict. 2003 - A referendum approves a new constitution stipulating that Chechnya is part of the Russian Federation. 2009 - Russia officially ends military operation; concerns over human rights and lawlessness persist. 2015 - Jihadists, including those aligned with Islamic State and al-Qaeda, remain active in the region.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Chechen volunteers gather in the capital in 1994 in the hope of protecting it from the Russian army New face of Chechen capital — RT News New face of Chechen capital Published time: 6 Oct, 2011 01:34 Edited time: 6 Oct, 2011 09:06 Get short URL "Grozny City" complex of tall buildings (RIA Novosti / Said Tzarnaev) / RIA Novosti Just a few years ago Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, lay in ruins following years of fighting that blighted the city during the 1990s. Fast forward to the present day, though, and an attractive modern city stands where there used to be only rubble. Tags Investment , Anniversary , Russia , Travel , Politics , History , War witness , Modernization , Construction A big celebration took place last night in the Chechen Republic’s capital, with massive celebrations marking City Day. But there is more than one just day of shows to impress visitors to Grozny. The city has gone through a massive transformation since being devastated by two conflicts against extremists in the 1990s.

Just 10 years have passed and Grozny has gone from a ruined battlefield to a glamorous city. Chechnya's leader Ramzan Kadyrov is known far beyond his hometown. He is viewed as an authoritarian ruler in the West, but is an effective manager by many fellow Chechens. And he is ambitious. His vision is to raise devastated Grozny from the ashes and make it the “Dubai of the Caucasus”. “I never thought it would be possible in such a short amount of time,” says local resident Magomed Magomedov. “What’s happened is some kind of miracle, I can’t believe my eyes.” The proudest achievement is Grozny City – a complex of international class hotels and business centers. When they were first proposed there was a lot of skepticism as to whether they would ever be built. Many people thought it was just a pipedream. But today, five gleaming towers are at the heart of the reconstruction of Grozny and a symbol of the city’s recovery following the destruction wrought at the beginning of the millennium. But Kadyrov wants to do more than just put up buildings. He is aiming to raise the city's profile on a global scale.

Since the start of the year he has attempted to grab the world's attention by inviting stars from the world of sport and show business to spend time in Grozny. “We've opened a stadium, a youth centre, an ice palace, and a few cinemas, so people don't see other places on TV and think it's better there than here. On the contrary, we want people to come to us,” says Ramzan Kadyrov. It is not the first time Grozny has been rocked by large scale events. In May, legendary footballers Diego Maradona and Luis Figo took part in the grand opening of the city’s stadium. Before that other international starts like Roberto Carlos came to the region. Some 10 years ago it would have been hard to believe that such glamorous and high profile events could take place on Chechen soil. Now it has almost become a tradition. Chechnya has seen massive progress, but there are still challenges. Terrorism remains a big problem here with attacks taking place on a regular basis. But locals are putting their hope in investment. They believe if Chechnya attracts more money from outside and the quality of life continues to improve, eradicating terrorism will no longer seem like “mission impossible”.

Chechen capital recovers from war — RT News Chechen capital recovers from war Published time: 25 Oct, 2008 10:05 Edited time: 25 Oct, 2008 14:05 Get short URL The capital of Chechnya, which once bore the scars of two devastating anti-terrorist campaigns during the 1990s, has almost no traces left of its violent past. Moscow is pumping billions of dollars into the reconstruction of Grozny, making it a modern cit Since 1994 the southern Russian republic has seen two major anti-terror campaigns. Large parts of the capital left in ruins were a constant reminder to its residents and the world community of those turbulent years. Today it seems to be growing into a modern city, where going to the theatre or grabbing a bite to eat at a cafe is now part of everyday life again. Now most parts of Grozny have been either restored or completely rebuilt using different architectural styles. Although reconstruction still continues, it's already possible to sit down and enjoy western European architecture in the centre of the Chechen Capital.

After a look at the new roads, buildings, shops, restaurants and theatres, it’s hard to believe that this is the capital of Chechnya – a region left devastated after years of violence. The plan for the reconstruction of the capital Grozny stretches until the year 2020. According to its head architect sometimes it's easier to start from scratch than to rebuild the old. “We're working on reconstructing the city's centre, which was heavily damaged during the years of violence. Some of the buildings had to be knocked down and built again,” said Grozny’s head architect Kalmykaev Sulman. “We're also planning to construct new business centres, apartment blocks and other infrastructure.” One of the highlights of Grozny's facelift is the newly built mosque – one of the largest in Europe, built with the help of Turkish specialists. It can accommodate up to 10,000 worshippers and has already been deemed the ‘Heart of Chechnya’. “I remember this city when it had only one three-storey building. Later we built it into quite a beautiful place. Then the city was almost destroyed during the violence.

It used to be beautiful before, but I think now it's even better,” says local resident Yakhlayev Shata. Capital of Chechnya | Article about Capital of Chechnya by The Free Dictionary Capital of Chechnya | Article about Capital of Chechnya by The Free Dictionary Related to Capital of Chechnya: Chechen Republic , Kicking Horse River Grozny (both: grôz`nē), city (2006 est. pop. 230,000), capital of Chechnya Chechnya or Chechen Republic , republic (1990 est. pop. 1,300,000, with neighboring Ingushetia), c.6,100 sq mi (15,800 sq km), SE European Russia, in the N Caucasus. Grozny is the capital. Prior to 1992 Chechnya and Ingushetia comprised the Checheno-Ingush Republic. ..... Click the link for more information. , SE European Russia, in the northern foothills of the Greater Caucasus.

It is the center of Chechnya's oil fields, linked by pipelines to Makhachkala on the Caspian Sea, to Tuapse on the Black Sea, and to Horlivka in Ukraine. One of Russia's oldest oil-producing areas (production began in 1893), Grozny was a major strategic goal of invading German armies in World War II. Soviet troops halted the German advance just short of the city. Fighting between the Russian army and Chechen separatists devastated the city in the mid-1990s and again in 1999, and the resulting bloodshed, destruction, and lawlessness led roughly three quarters of the residents to flee. A decade later, however, the city had undergone extensive reconstruction, and the population had returned to near pre-conflict levels. Grozny a city in S Russia, capital of the Chechen Republic: a major oil centre: it was badly damaged during fighting between separatists and Russian troops (1994--95, 1999--2000).

Pop.: 199 000 (2005 est.) Capital of Chechnya synonyms, Capital of Chechnya antonyms - FreeThesaurus.com Capital of Chechnya synonyms, Capital of Chechnya antonyms - FreeThesaurus.com Related to Capital of Chechnya: Chechen Republic , Kicking Horse River noun the capital of Chechnya in southwestern Russia Synonyms Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content . Link to this page: Write what you mean clearly and correctly. References in periodicals archive ? A suicide bomber has blown himself up in the capital of Chechnya in Russia's volatile North Caucasus region, injuring up to 10 people. Five dead in Chechen blasts So reported Paul Wood from the Chechen border for The Independent of London on February 6, 2000, as "triumphant" Russian troops occupied Grozny, the capital of Chechnya.

Copyright © 2003-2017 Farlex, Inc Disclaimer All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Chechen Terrorism (Russia, Chechnya, Separatist) - Council on Foreign Relations Council on Foreign Relations Chechen Terrorism (Russia, Chechnya, Separatist) Connect With Us: Chechen Terrorism (Russia, Chechnya, Separatist) Author: Preeti Bhattacharji Are there links between Chechen groups and al-Qaeda? Introduction Chechens are an ethnic minority living primarily in Russia's North Caucasus region. For the past two hundred years, they have generally been governed by Moscow, though they have had varying degrees of de facto autonomy. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Chechen separatists launched a coordinated campaign for independence, which resulted in two devastating wars and an ongoing insurgency in Russia's republic of Chechnya.

Militants in and around Chechnya continue to agitate for independence, though the death of separatist leader Shamil Basayev in July 2006 weakened the separatist movement. However, violence in the North Caucasus has escalated since 2008, and Moscow experienced its most serious attack in six years with the bombing of a metro station in March 2010. Share Email Who are the Chechens? The Chechens are a largely Muslim ethnic group that has lived for centuries in the mountainous North Caucasus region. For the past two hundred years, Chechens have resisted Russian rule. During World War II, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin accused the Chechens of cooperating with the Nazis and forcibly deported the entire population to Kazakhstan and Siberia. Tens of thousands of Chechens died, and the survivors were allowed to return home only after Stalin's death. Has Chechnya ever been independent? Chechnya has experienced several brief periods of de facto independence.

In January 1921, four years after the Russian Revolution, Chechnya joined Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, North Ossetia, and Ingushetia to form the Mountain Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. But the following year, the Soviet Union seized control of Chechnya and turned it into a Soviet province called the Chechen Autonomous Oblast. In January 1934, Soviet officials merged the Chechen Autonomous Oblast with the neighboring Ingush Autonomous Oblast, largely to dilute each region's ethnic identity. During World War II, as German forces moved into the Soviet Union and toward the North Caucasus, many ethnic minority groups subject to Soviet and Russian rule for generations seized on the opportunity presented by the war to try and break free. German forces never reached Chechnya, but Chechen nationalist Khasan Israilov led a revolt against Soviet rule which lasted from 1940 to 1944. After Soviet troops crushed the rebellion, Stalin accused the Chechens of collaborating with Nazi invaders. In 1944, Stalin disbanded the Chechen-Ingush republic altogether and forcibly deported the entire Chechen population to Siberia and Kazakhstan.

Chechens were not allowed to return to their homeland until 1957, when Stalin's successor, Nikita Khrushchev, restored the province amid de-Stalinization. What is the post-Soviet history of violence in Chechnya? In the early 1990s, following the Soviet collapse, separatists in the newly formed Russian Federation Republic of Chechnya started an independence movement called the Chechen All-National Congress. Russian President Boris Yeltsin opposed Chechen independence, arguing that Chechnya was an integral part of Russia. From 1994 to 1996, Russia fought Chechen guerillas in a conflict that became known as the First Chechen War. Tens of thousands of civilians died, but Russia failed to win control of Chechnya's mountainous terrain, giving Chechnya de facto independence. In May 1996, Yeltsin signed a ceasefire with the separatists, and they agreed on a peace treaty the following year. But violence flared again three years later. In August 1999, Chechen militants invaded the neighboring Russian republic of Dagestan to support a local separatist movement.

The following month, five bombs exploded in Russia over a ten-day period, killing almost three hundred civilians. Moscow blamed Chechen rebels for the explosions, which comprised the largest coordinated terrorist attack in Russian history. The Dagestan invasion and the Russian bombings prompted Russian forces to launch the Second Chechen War, also known as the War in the North Caucasus. In February 2000, Russia recaptured the Chechen capital of Grozny, destroying a good part of the city center in the process, reasserting direct control over Chechnya. Tens of thousands of Chechens and Russians were killed or wounded in the two wars, and hundreds of thousands of civilians were displaced. Since the end of the second war, Chechen separatist activity has diminished, and the July 2006 death of separatist leader Shamil Basayev --in an explosion many see as the work of Russia's internal security services--seems to have stifled the movement. Since 2008, however, violence has markedly increased in the North Caucasus, according to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Incidents of violence rose from 795 in 2008 to 1,100 in 2009, and suicide bombings quadrupled in 2009, the majority of which occurred in Chechnya. Which terrorist groups operate in Chechnya? Information about groups linked to the conflict in Chechnya is hard to confirm, but experts say the struggle is between local separatists--a loosely organized group with semi-independent commanders--and the Russian army. According to the U.S. State Department, the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade (IIPB) is the primary channel for Islamic funding of the Chechen guerillas, in part through links to al-Qaeda-related financiers on the Arabian Peninsula. The United States also defined the Chechnya-based Special Purpose Islamic Regiment (SPIR) and the Riyadus-Salikhin Reconnaissance and Sabotage Battalion of Chechen Martyrs as terrorist entities in February 2003. Chechnya's long and violent guerrilla war has attracted a small number of Islamist militants from outside of Chechnya--some of whom are Arab fighters with possible links to al-Qaeda.

Among the Islamist militants, the most prominent was Basayev, Russia's most wanted man. Basayev fought for Chechen independence for more than a decade, and was the mastermind behind the worst terrorist attacks on Russian soil. On July 10, 2006, Basayev was killed in an explosion in neighboring Ingushetia. His death cast doubt on the future of the Chechen separatist movement, and allegedly led to the surrender of five hundred militants. Four months later, Russian security forces killed Abu Hafs al-Urdani, the Jordanian-born commander of foreign fighters in Chechnya. Since then, violence in Chechnya has ebbed, though terrorism in the areas of Dagestan and Ingushetia has increased. What major attacks are the Chechen groups responsible for? The most notorious and devastating attack came in September 2004, when Basayev ordered an attack on a school in Beslan, a town in North Ossetia. More than three hundred people died in the three-day siege, most of them children. There were thirty-two militants, though only three or four were Chechens. All but one of the militants were reportedly killed during the siege.

Since then, violence has generally targeted individual officials and government offices rather than large groups of civilians. Attacks include: An August 1999 bombing of a shopping arcade and a September 1999 bombing of an apartment building in Moscow that killed sixty-four people. Two bombings in September 1999 in the Russian republic of Dagestan and southern Russian city of Volgodonsk. Controversy still surrounds whether these attacks were conclusively linked to Chechens. A bomb blast that killed at least forty-one people, including seventeen children, during a military parade in the southwestern town of Kaspiisk in May 2002. Russia blamed the attack on Chechen terrorists. The October 2002 seizure of Moscow's Dubrovka Theater, where approximately seven hundred people were attending a performance. Russian Special Forces launched a rescue operation, but the opium-derived gas they used to disable the hostage-takers killed more than 120 hostages, as well as many of the terrorists. Basayev took responsibility for organizing the attack, and three Chechen-affiliated groups are thought to have been involved.

A December 2002 dual suicide bombing that attacked the headquarters of Chechnya's Russian-backed government in Grozny. Russian officials claim that international terrorists helped local Chechens mount the assault, which killed eighty-three people. A three-day attack on Ingushetia in June 2004, which killed almost one hundred people and injured another 120. Street fighting in October 2005 that killed at least eighty-five people. The fighting was in the south Russian city of Nalchik after Chechen rebels assaulted government buildings, telecommunications facilities, and the airport. An attack on the Nevsky Express, used by members of the business and political elite, in November 2009 killed twenty-seven people. In March 2010, two female suicide bombers detonated bombs in a Moscow metro station located near the headquarters of the security services, killing thirty-nine people. Islamist Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov claimed responsibility for the bombing; he had also claimed responsibility for the derailment of the Nevsky Express.

Two days after the metro station bombing in March 2010, two bombs exploded in the town of Kizlyar, in Russia's North Caucasus, killing at least twelve people. Are there links between Chechen groups and al-Qaeda? Experts say there are several ties between the al-Qaeda network and Chechen groups. A Chechen warlord known as Khattab is said to have met with Osama bin Laden while both men were fighting the 1979-89 Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. Alexander Vershbow, a U.S. ambassador to Russia, said shortly after September 11, 2001, "We have long recognized that Osama bin Laden and other international networks have been fueling the flames in Chechnya, including the involvement of foreign commanders like Khattab." Khattab was killed in April 2002. Zacarias Moussaoui, who was convicted for his involvement in the September 11 attacks, was reported by the Wall Street Journal to be formerly "a recruiter for al-Qaeda-backed rebels in Chechnya." Chechen militants reportedly fought alongside al-Qaeda and Taliban forces against the U.S.-backed Northern Alliance in late 2001.

The Taliban regime in Afghanistan was one of the only governments to recognize Chechen independence. Russian authorities, including Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, have repeatedly stressed the involvement of international terrorists and Bin Laden associates in Chechnya--in part, experts say, to generate Western sympathy for Russia's military campaign against the Chechen rebels. Russia's former defense minister, Sergei Ivanov, claimed that a videotape of Khattab meeting with bin Laden had been found in Afghanistan, but Russia has not aired the tape publicly. Julia Jeffrey contributed to this report. Highlights From 2015–2016 Learn more about CFR’s mission and its work over the past year in the 2016 Annual Report . The Annual Report spotlights new initiatives, high-profile events, and authoritative scholarship from CFR experts, and includes a message from CFR President Richard N. Haass. Read and download » The Chronicle The Fall 2016 issue of CFR's member newsletter, the Chronicle, is a guide to CFR's most important news since August 2016, and includes announcements about new programs, partnerships, fellows, meetings, publications, and members. Read it now.

Now Available: Foreign Policy Begins at Home The biggest threat to America's security and prosperity comes not from abroad but from within, writes CFR President Richard N. Haass in his provocative new book. More New Foreign Affairs eBook: Tiananmen and After Chechnya: daily life - Photos - The Big Picture - Boston.com Chechnya: daily life After two Chechen brothers were named in connection with the Boston Marathon bombings, Reuters photographer Maxim Shemetov took this collection of images titled "Inside Modern Chechnya" showing daily life in the semi-autonomous Russian region known for a centuries-ï¿½old tradition of defying Moscowï¿½s rule. Shemetov focused on the area in and around the capital of Grozny. -- Lloyd Young ( 28 photos total ) Members of a Chechen dance group pose for photographers at a government-organized event marking Chechen language day in the center of the Chechen capital Grozny on April 25.

(Maxim Shemetov/Reuters) Chechnya travel guide - Wikitravel Understand[ edit ] Nominally part of Russia since the early 19th century, fiercely independent Chechnya has been in a near constant state of rebellion ever since the approach of Russian power. At times throughout the history of this conflict, including very recent times, Chechen rebellion has spread to neighboring regions and threatened the specter of a multi ethnic Muslim rebellion across the entire northern Caucasus. What is most important for the traveler is that the anti-Russian violence as well as the Russian military response have been spectacularly brutal, purposely victimizing whomever is most vulnerable. One of the most traumatic episodes of violence took place following the Second World War, when Stalin accused Chechens of collaborating with the Nazis and mass deported the entire ethnic Chechen populace to the cold steppe of northern Kazakhstan . Needless to say, provisions were not made to ensure that the deported Chechens had a good chance of surviving the deportation. Survivors were allowed to return under Khruschev.

In one of the most horrific events of recent times, the radical Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev ordered his commandos to take an elementary school in Beslan, North Ossetia hostage, resulting in a shocking massacre of innocent schoolchildren. On a lighter note, Chechnya is a country of extraordinary beauty, full of majestic mountains with lush vegetation and auls (mountaintop villages) rising above the tree lines; rapid rivers have cut spectacular gorges throughout the region. Chechen culture is distinctly romantic and chivalric. It is at once steeped in Islamic Sufi mysticism and in the macho codes of hardy mountain tribes. The Chechens have a distinct culture of Caucasian music and dance. The Chechens traditionally follow a strict code of honor and hospitality to accepted guests; unyielding hostility and violence towards enemies. All this could make Chechnya an intoxicating destination for the truly adventurous, but the present security situation should rule out this destination to all but the hardiest of travellers. The present situation is taking an improvement, however on a light scale. The region is headed by the autocratic Kadyrov family.

More recently, the government has allowed foreign companies to develop, if neglected rich oil resources, which have brought wealth to the country. Yet, the money falls in the hands of a few people. While Grozny is full of new construction and a rising middle-class, much of the region remains poor. Corruption is considerably ubiquitous compared to some of it's neighbors. By plane[ edit ] Chechnya's airport is finally open again for the first time since the start of the First Chechen War. Planes to Grozny leave 3 times a week from Moscow 's Vnukovo airport. Estimated flying time is 2 hours and 30 minutes. By train[ edit ] A train leaves from/to Moscow once every 2 days. This train is under heavy security by the Russian military so expect long delays and possibly other hassles. Caution must be exercised when traveling by rail in Chechnya due to potential terrorist attacks. In 2005 a train traveling from Moscow to Chechnya was derailed during a bombing. Stay safe[ edit ] Many foreign governments, including the UK, Canadian and US governments, strongly warn their citizens not to travel to Chechnya under any circumstances.

However, the security situation has improved significantly and most of the separatist activity has been quelled by Kadyrov's government. If you stay on the major highways and visit cities along the way, you should be safe. If you decide to go into some rural areas, make sure you are accompanied, preferably by a local who knows the area really well. Before travelling to Chechnya, register with your embassy and make sure they are aware of your travel plans. Stay healthy[ edit ] The civil war may be over in Chechnya, but the situation is far from secure and basic necessities are often relatively scarce. It would be wise for one to assume that some necessities may not be available there, so get everything you really need before traveling to the region. Working plumbing, heat, and electricity are commodities in parts of Chechnya due to a failing infrastructure that is the result of years of conflict. Be sure to sanitize all water or bring bottled water. Respect[ edit ] Hospitality and respect for guests is a source of pride for the average Chechen. Remember that Chechnya is a strongly patriarchal Sunni Muslim society, so try to behave accordingly.

Women travellers are advised to exercise particular caution - dress appropriately (no exposed body parts except your hands and head) and - for lone female travelers - consider reliable protection services. Mobile[ edit ] In Chechnya there are two russian federal GSM operators (Beeline,Megafon) and they often have offers that give you a SIM card for free or at least very cheap. If you are planning to stay a while and to keep in touch with locals, you should consider buying a local SIM card instead of going on roaming. If you buy a SIM card from a shop you'll need your passport for identification. Russia's Chechnya has long terrorist connections FacebookEmail Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest Russia's Chechnya has long terrorist connections Militants from Chechnya and other restive regions in Russia's volatile North Caucasus have targeted Moscow and other areas with bombings and hostage-takings. Post to Facebook Russia's Chechnya has long terrorist connections Militants from Chechnya and other restive regions in Russia's volatile North Caucasus have targeted Moscow and other areas with bombings and hostage-takings. Check out this story on USATODAY.com: CancelSend A link has been sent to your friend's email address. Posted!

A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. 244 To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs Russia's Chechnya has long terrorist connections The Chechen people: A fierce resistance Resistance is a consistent thread running through Chechnya's complicated history: against Mongol hordes, against Turkic fighters, against Russian troops. Chechens are variously seen as valorous defenders of their beleaguered homeland and as vile terrorists. The Chechen roots of the two Boston Marathon bombing suspects has drawn new attention to Chechen identity. Sponsored by Ethnic Unity The People Chechens are one of a bewildering array of ethnic groups originating in the steep and inhospitable Caucasus Mountains. Of the estimated 1.7 million Chechens worldwide, about 1.4 million live in Russia, mostly in Chechnya proper. Their Chechen language is unrelated to Russian or other major tongues, adding to a sense of ethnic unity. Photo: A man prays in the Heart of Chechnya mosque. (AFP/Getty Images) Formidable Warriors Before the 20th Century Beginning with resistance to Mongol invasions in the 13th century, Chechens became known as formidable warriors.

As czarist Russian forces began offensives to take control of the Caucasus in the 19th century, Chechnya's warlords earned a reputation for being wily, bold and venal. Russian forces gained control of Chechnya in 1859 after some four decades of fighting. The Russian fortress that was a key element of the conquest eventually gave its name to what became Chechnya's capital. Photo: Russian soldiers stand atop armored personnel carriers before heading toward Chechnya on Dec. 19, 1999. (AP) World War II Ethnic Cleansing During World War II, Soviet dictator Josef Stalin saw Chechens as likely allies of the Nazis, so deported them en masse to Siberia and Central Asia in 1944. They were allowed to return only in 1957 and the suffering of the deportation remains a potent touchstone for Chechens. Photo: A woman cries as she stands near what is left of a two-story building destroyed in a blast in 2003.

(AP) 1980s-1990s Modern Wars As the Soviet Union began to collapse in the late 1980s, air force general Dzhokhar Dudayev, a Chechen, became sympathetic to the independence movement in Estonia where he commanded a division. Dudayev refused orders to mobilize his forces to take control of Estonia's parliament and broadcast facilities, then resigned from the military in 1990 and returned to Chechnya to lead the separatist movement there. A full-scale war with Russian forces began in late 1994. Although Russian forces inflicted enormous damage, the rebels fought them to a standstill. In the fall of 1996, several months after Dudayev was killed in a rocket strike, the army withdrew. Photo: Special Force officers are seen in front of the Chechen parliament complex after a bomb blast in Grozny on Oct. 19, 2010. (AP) Late 1990s Lawlessness and Violence Chechnya then fell into appalling lawlessness, plagued by widespread ransom kidnappings; some abductees were beheaded.

Dudayev's successor Aslan Maskhadov unsuccessfully tried to rein in a rising strain of Wahhabi Islamic violence led by his rival, warlord Shamil Basayev. After Basayev initiated an invasion of neighboring Dagestan in 1999 to try to form an Islamic caliphate, Chechnya's days of de-facto independence were numbered. Russian forces pulverized Grozny again and rebels fled the capital, but tormented Russian soldiers with hit-and-run attacks for years afterward before fading from view. Photo: A Chechen police officer is?silhouetted?against flames of a fire raging in an oil well outside Grozny in 2006. (AP) Terror Attacks Years of Terror Before the insurgents were quelled, they mounted several grisly terror attacks outside Chechnya. In 2002, Chechens seized a Moscow theater and some 850 hostages, a siege that ended with 129 hostages and all 41 hostage-takers dead when Russian forces filled the auditorium with a narcotic gas.

In 2004, the insurgents seized a school in the town of Beslan; more than 330 people, about half of them children, died in the siege's end. A suicide bomber killed 37 people at Moscow's busiest airport in 2011. Photo: A wounded blast victim is wheeled in a hospital in Moscow on Jan. 24, 2011. (AP) Kadyrov Leadership Chechnya Now Under Kremlin-backed leader Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechnya has quietened. A huge infusion of federal funds has turned parts of ruined Grozny into a shiny display of new buildings. But Kadyrov is widely denounced for human rights abuses, including allegations of killing opponents. He has also imposed some Islamic restrictions on the region, including mandatory public headscarves for women. Photo: Kadyrov watches a parade on May 9, 2011. (AFP/Getty Images) Ray Locker, Kevin McCoy and Gregg Zoroya, USA TODAY 10:43 a.m.

EDT April 20, 2013 Hostages sit with their weapons in the school in Beslan, Russia, taken during the early part of the siege which began on Sept. 1, 2004, and ended with over 300 people dead. (Photo: File photo by Russian Television Channel via AP) Story Highlights Chechen mujahedin group denies connection to Tsarnaev brothers Region has been the focus of decades of fighting between Muslim residents and Russians Some Chechen groups have recruited fighters from outside the region, experts say Chechnya, the Russian republic whose struggle against Russia inspired the two brothers suspected of the Boston Marathon bombings, has been the center of violent separatist uprising and bloody bomb-related killings for decades. But "mainstream Chechnyan mujahedin have not traditionally been a direct threat to the United States," said Evan Kohlmann, senior partner of Flashpoint Global Partners, a New York-based international security consulting firm. Several other organizations do recruit Chechen fighters, however, he said.

FULL COVERAGE: Boston Marathon suspects, victims He said the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and one of its splinter groups, the Islamic Jihad Union, both have recruited Chechen, Turks and other non-Arab Muslims to fight with them against U.S. forces in Afghanistan. According to Kohlmann, both of these groups are based in the Waziristan tribal area of Pakistan, "and these groups can be just as radical as anything al-Qaeda puts out." "They have a strong animus against the United States," Kohlmann said. But he cautioned against making any assumption at this point that the bombing suspects were recruited and/or trained by foreign terror organizations. "What happened (in Boston) is within the capability of two relatively sophisticated, homegrown individuals," Kohlmann said. "These two people seem to have come out of nowhere." David Schanzer, a terrorism expert at Duke University, said the attack appeared to be "homegrown" and that the suspects appear unsophisticated and without ties to or training from international terrorist groups. "The fact that they needed to rob an ATM to get money (suggests) they didn't get large amount of outside funding. They had no escape plan to leave the country," Schanzer said.

"These are hallmarks of people who are not particularly sophisticated. I don't see this as a highly planned plot. They seemed to be making this up as they go along." Several links have been identified between Chechen guerrillas and al-Qaeda, according to an analysis by the Council on Foreign Relations. Despite the two suspects' apparent affinity for the Chechen cause, anti-separatist Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said there was no link between his country and Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the two brothers suspected of the Boston bombings. "We don't know the Tsarnaevs, they did not live in Chechnya. They lived and studied in America," Kadyrov said Friday. "It has become habitual, everything that is happening in the world is connected to Chechens. Blame the Chechens." x Share A former FBI special agent in charge says behind the scenes, there is a massive intelligence gathering effort looking at the ties between the Boston Marathon bombing suspects and the Chechnya region in Russia. (April 19) AP Kohlmann sent a post on his Twitter feed Friday that the official arm of the Chechen mujahedin has denied any connection between them and the Boston suspects.

Ruslan Tsarni of Montgomery Village, Md., the uncle of the two brothers, said the family was ethnic Chechen. Author Kimberly Marten, who researched Chechnya for her recent book, Warlords Strong-Arm Brokers in Weak States, cautioned Friday against concluding that the Boston attack was an act of terror. "We shouldn't assume... there's a political motive behind the bombing," said Marten, who's a political science professor at Barnard College in New York City and director of Columbia University's Harriman Institute. Most of the Chechens' acts have come in Chechnya, Russia or neighboring republics. Among the most shocking acts of violence was an attack in the neighboring republic of North Ossetia in 2004, where militants seized a school and, in the three-day siege that followed, more than 300 were killed, most of them children. The attack was ordered by Chechen separatist leader Shamil Basayev, who was himself killed in a 2006 bombing believed to have been conducted by Russian internal security forces.

Militants from Chechnya and other restive regions have targeted Moscow and other areas with bombings and hostage-takings for more than 20 years. The republic is predominantly Muslim and has waged two wars with Russian security forces since the demise of the Soviet Union in 1991. President Vladimir Putin has often stressed that al-Qaeda is linked with Chechen fighters. According to the Council on Foreign Relations analysis, a Chechen warlord is said to have met with Osama bin Laden while both were fighting against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan from 1979-89. Authorities have also found links between Chechen separatists and other Islamist terrorist groups. The U.S. Justice Department said in a 2004 report that Zacharias Moussaoui, who was convicted for his role in the 9/11 attacks, had previously sought to recruit at least one man to fight in Chechnya. Intelligence officials in France had warned the FBI of Moussaoui's connection to the Chechen fighters.

An online jihadist, "Abu Sulaiman al-Nasser," boasted Friday that the Tsarnaev brothers "made the streets of America just like the streets of Afghanistan." Violence dates back to the years after World War II when the Soviet leader Josef Stalin crushed a revolt there during the Nazi invasion and in 1944 deported the entire Chechen population to Siberia and Kazakhstan. They were allowed to return to their homeland in 1957. Shortly after the Soviet Union's collapse, Chechnya declared independence from Russia, a move that eventually led to war from 1994-1996 when tens of thousands died and Russian regained control of the republic. The Tsarnaev family reportedly fled Chechnya for nearby Kazakhstan and, later, the United States. Fighting broke out in Chechnya again in 2000 when Russian forces destroyed much of the republic's capital city of Grozny in a bid to crush resistance. With the killing of key militant leaders, the separatist movement has been quelled, although violence in the region continues. Chechen militants have committed sporadic large-scale attacks in Russia since the 1990s.

In March 2010, Chechen terrorists claimed responsibility for bombings on the Moscow subway system that killed more than 40 people. In June 2010, the State Department added Chechen rebel Doku Umarov, who claimed responsibility for the March subway attack, to its terrorist list and froze his assets. A 2008 report by the Congressional Research Service said in 2007 Russian security forces ran 850 sweeps through Chechnya that involved surrounding entire villages and searching every house. "Critics of the operations allege that the troops frequently engage in pillaging and gratuitous violence and are responsible for kidnappings for ransom and 'disappearances' of civilians,' " the report said. Of the region's almost 1.3 million residents, ethnic Chechens make up about 95%, according to Russian government statistics. The rest are a combination of ethnic Russians and other ethnic groups from nearby countries and regions. Contributing: Brad Heath and Thomas Frank in Washington; Anna G. Arutunya in Moscow. 4902 CONNECT TWEET LINKEDIN 244 COMMENTEMAILMORE Read or Share this story: NEVER MISS OUT

Question: What is the capital of Chechnya?
Answer: Grozny